Downsizing Hell

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 43 total)
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  • #5573
    Norma
    Participant

    OMG why do I have so much stuff?  And why can’t I get rid of it?!?!

    I’m in the process of packing the Lurch and putting the rest in storage and I can’t even decide what I can put in storage which is about a mile from where I’ll be in the RV!  It’s open 24/7/365.  I’m such a wuss.

    I really HAVE gotten rid of a bunch of it and there’s really not THAT much.  I live in a 1 BR studio so it can’t be that bad, right?  🙁

    I have too many toys…and so does Chewbacca.  He has 23.  And four beds. hahahahaha!

     

    #5583
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Oh Norma,

    This will be my dilemma in the following year. We have so much “stuff”,  We live in a 4 bedroom house with a office living room kitchen and mud room. and a garage. Goodness how does one accumulate so much. and WHY?  We have stuff we never even unpacked from our move 5 years ago.  That is one of the main reasons we want to go rving is to get rid of all the extraneous materialistic stuff in our life. We were much happier when we didn’t have a “pot to pee in” as the saying goes.

    Good luck and let me know how it goes and how you decided what you could live without and what you couldn’t live without

    Mel

    #5595
    James
    Participant

    Garage sale, goodwill. salvation army, childrens homes, Candle lighters. all these places take items for donations which can be tax deductible. Ask neighbors if you have something they might want. Awesome feeling to just give away things to the less fortunate. One thought a friend had was having a living estate sale. Just don’t forget when we die we can’t take things with us. I personally would prefer to have the memories (stories) to tell everyone then to have personal items that could end up being a burden to the surviving family members. Dont forget placing things in storage, you just throwing money away monthly that you could possible never see or use again.

    #5615
    Larry
    Participant

    Are you going on the road fulltime? Just wondering why you are down sizing?

    #5616
    Norma
    Participant

    Thanks all, for the encouragement.  I’m doing pretty good just pawning off all my unused stuff on friends.  One guy loves me because I gave him a 13-inch TV with VCR!!! lol!

    Yes, Larry, I will be FTing in a few months, but moving into RV in a couple of weeks.  I have a Class C, which doesn’t have a lot of room for frivolities, and most of my excess is toys.  I like to make stuff and build stuff and sew stuff and knit stuff and crochet stuff and solder stuff and read and holy crap, so much more!!

    I don’t have many fiction books anymore, as I moved over to a Kindle years ago, maybe the 2nd version…but I love nonfiction how-to books.  Got a big ol stack I can’t get rid of.  And I’m sure some of the stuff I bought for Lurch I won’t use, but you know how it is when you first start…especially if you’re a gadget freak like me…haha…

    Melody, I remember when I could move in a couple of hours with everything in ONE loaded car.  Man, those were the days all right.

    James, I’m moving most of it to storage, but gradually giving it away too.  I have a friend who likes to sell stuff on ebay, and I’ve volunteered him a bunch of things.  I’m letting him keep all the money, so he’s game!  By the time I’m ready to hit the road, my storage facility will be empty and I WON’T be overloaded.  That’s the goal anyway…anyone want some neon posterboard?

    #5618
    Larry
    Participant

    Congrats ,expect to see and hear some on the road stories,good luck.

    #5674

    How to go Norma. As one who has just gone through this I do know what you are going through. When it’s done it feels like a large weight has been removed from your neck . You can stand tall now and say I did it. -:)

    #5684
    Norma
    Participant

    Thanks, Bob.  This is my final weekend and I’m down to the wire.  This is the really, really hard part.  I cannot WAIT to say I did it!!  🙂

    #6371
    Lauren
    Member

    Norma, We are now joining you in downsizing. What a chore,  just figuring out what to do with all that excess stuff/junk is a chore in it self .

    #6380
    Norma
    Participant

    My biggest tip came from Pinterest.  Found a lady who said, “If there was a fire, would I pay to replace this?”  If not, out it goes.  I got rid of a LOT that way.  I still have quite a bit in the storage place…all the maybes….hahahah

    Between now and graduation, I’ll either keep it or get rid of it.  I’m not going to pay storage while I’m “out there!”

    #6390
    Lauren
    Member

    I like your idea and will keep it mind as I go threw stuff. This week end I got rid of summer clothes that neither of us have worn in the past 2 years (6 extra large bags) hot hub stuff (we haven’t had a hot tub in over 3 years) Made 30 jars of jam from fruit that was frozen for over a year so Now have almost an empty freezer. Don’t want to fill it to see if we can do without. This just a start, I know

    #6397
    Norma
    Participant

    You’re doing awesome, Lauren!  We didn’t get all that stuff in a day and it will take lots of days to get rid of it.  I try to get rid of something every day.  It sure has helped.

    #6398
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am just now thinking about downsizing and my main thought is where the heck do I start. Goodness I don’t know how we accumulated so much STUFF! 🙁

    #6399
    Marsha & Dewey
    Participant

    This topic is very amusing… Lol…. I’ve been working on selling our giving away all of or stuff for a year, of and on. One day Dewey came home and said where the dining room table? Sold! He says it’s starting to echo in here lol. Well I slowed down for awhile but am getting on another roll! Just sold the last boat we don’t want, are down to the 2 we are keeping and jacuzzi is gone! Sure miss it. We need to move into the 5er before we sell much more. So exciting and liberating. I do understand the pain also, but not bad.

    #6400
    Norma
    Participant

    You have to keep plugging away at it.  Our culture deems “stuff” is important.  The more you have, the more important you are…  Guess what?  It’s a lie!!!

    I’m going to trade all my stuff for adventures!  Care to join me???  🙂

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